20 things every college girl needs for less than $20

A few months back, I wrote a post on 10 Things Every College Girl Needs for Less than $10. (Click here to read!) Quickly, + I mean like, rapid fire speed that post became my #1 hit. Like Adele “Hello” level.

So today I’m back to share with you 20 more things that are less than $20. Add these things to your next shopping list and be amazed at how immensely they change your life. You’re welcome.

Links marked with a (*) are affiliate links.

20 Things Every College Girl Needs for Less than $20

1. The Neutrogena Skin Clearing Makeup. Even if you don’t struggle with breakouts, this makeup is a beauty. Forget to take your makeup off last night? Or you were just too lazy? This is perfect because it won’t clog your pores up and it has a great coverage. Every college girl needs a great foundation so you can see my review on this one here:

2. This extra-large (21 oz.!) tumbler. Fill this bad boy up with water or coffee (granted I prefer my caffeine through an IV) and you’ll be hydrated all day. Am I the only one that is more inclined to drink my water if it’s through a straw? Just me? Crickets? Well, whatever works! (buy it here.)

3. Aerie bralettes. I swear, I’ve forgotten the point of real bras. Aerie’s bralettes are adorable, well made, and come in a bunch of different colors and styles. And keep your eyes out; they go on sale a lot, so often you can find them for $15! (buy it here.)

4. An Audible.com membership. As full-time college students, a lot of us don’t have as much time to read as we’d like. BUT, I’ve found that listening to a book is just as satisfying and you can multitask while you “read”. WIN!

5. Sally Hansen Quick Dry Top Coat. I’m perpetually going out with shabby nails because I can’t be bothered waiting an hour for a fresh manicure to dry. But this top coat speeds up dry time so polishing my fingers takes less than 20 minutes. SCORE. (buy it here.)

6. Cards. The limit is endless with a deck of playing cards. From solo to team games, sometimes it’s nice to log out of Netflix (it can be done, I’m serious) and play a game that brings you back to your childhood or challenges your roommate.

7. A plush, white bathrobe. I’ve been l-i-v-i-n-g in my robe recently (see Snapchat for confirmation – I post way too many selfies in mine). Perfect for those “out of the shower + don’t want to get dressed but can’t sit in my room naked” nights.

8. This wall pluggy-inny USB port + extra plug thing. Yeah, that. I’m not exactly sure what these are called but they’re awesome. I’m constantly disconnecting my phone charger from its plug so I’m left with a cord and no way to actually plug my phone in so having an outlet that does it for me is awesome! Plus, you can turn one outlet into 5. Coolness. (buy it here*.)

9. A protective laptop case. Ever since I got my Macbook Pro, I’ve been a freak about keeping it safe + clean. I hopped on Amazon and bought this hard case + keyboard cover + sleeve trio for less than $20, popped a sticker on top to make it more “me” and voila, no more panicking that my laptop is going to get absolutely destroyed in the shuffle from my room to the living room. It’s a long, treterous walk, okay? (buy it here*.)

10. This portable power bank. I swear, with every new Apple update, my phone dies 10x quicker. Or I just need to get off Twitter + start paying attention to Western Civ. Whatever the culprit of my fast dying cell, I always have a portable charger in my backpack so I’m never disconnected from my addiction to Pinterest. (buy it here*.)

11. A tide-to-go stick. A highly underrated necessity in my bag, any stain stick is something that every college girl needs. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t manage to get eyeliner on my shirt (don’t ask me how) or dribble my morning coffee down my brand new jacket. It’s bound to happen + laundry isn’t fun so these bad boys are life-savers.

12. Fake flowers. I’m one of those people who loves the look of a beautiful bouquet sitting on my desk but everything I touch turns to dead. I swear, plants and I just don’t do well together. As of late, I’ve been going to the dollar store and customizing an arrangement that refuses to die. It’s a miracle!

13. A puffer vest. Too cold for no coat but too hot for a coat? Vests are awesome because they keep your core warm, but let your ‘pits breathe. A beautiful + trendy invention, vests are a key addition to any wardrobe.

14. A huge pack of colorful pens. Perfect for planning + note taking, colored pens are addicting. There’s something about writing in pink ink that makes school work actually bearable and jotting things down in your agenda useful.

15. Muk Luks. You should want these from the name alone. Muk luk, muk luk, muk luk. It’s fun! While these are a little more than $20, I got mine for $17 on sale at Kohl’s – keep your eyes peeled because memory foam slipper boots are no joke. (buy it here.)

16. A pillow pet. Don’t even deny it, you either already have one or have wanted one since they came out. BUY ONE. I use my giraffe pillow pet as a pillow more than my $50 tempurpedic blah-blah-blah pillow. Plus it’s cute

17. A brush set + roll. Makeup brushes are vital to doing your face every morning; they make every product work better, I swear, and make the process so much easier. Good brushes are an investment but those who aren’t into makeup or only need them once in a while don’t need to spend crazy money. There are great products out there for cheaper than you think.

18. Vera Bradley Zip ID Case. I haven’t carried a “big girl wallet” in forever. AKA, ever since I turned 15 and realized that being a big girl is overrated. I can fit my school ID, license, debit card, and whatever random $1 bills I have lying around inside this little case. I attach it to my keys and BOOM, I have everything I could need when running out of my house (late) for class. (buy it here.)

19. Different lenses for you iPhone. As much as I love photography, i don’t have thousands of dollars to drop on a DSLR and a bunch of different lenses. These detachable lenses are $12 and can change the way to take iPhone selfies forever. (buy it here*)

20. A blog! I dedicate so much time + have so much fun writing for my blog. The greatest thing about blogging is that you can literally say and do whatever you want. A great way to kill time and also let out your creativity, blogging can be for everyone if you’re passionate about it!